Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica |
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| 45°25′47″N 75°41′47″W / 45.42971°N 75.69646°W | |
| Location | 385 Sussex Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1J9 |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral, minor basilica (from 1879) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | National Historic Site |
| Designated | 1990 |
| Architectural type | church |
| Style | Neoclassical Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1841–1865 1876–1885 (interior) |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | 2 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Ottawa-Cornwall |
The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is a beautiful and historic Roman Catholic church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. You can find it at 385 Sussex Drive in the Lower Town area. This important building was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.
It is the oldest and largest church in Ottawa. It is also the main church for the city's Roman Catholic archbishop. You can easily spot its two tall spires and golden statue of the Madonna from nearby Parliament Hill. The church was last updated and fixed up in the late 1990s. Services are held in both French and English. Its special Easter and Christmas services are even shown on TV across Canada every year.
Contents
History of Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
The land where the basilica stands today first held a small wooden church called St. Jacques Church. This church was built in 1832. In 1841, it was moved across the street to make room for a much bigger church. Sadly, the old wooden church was destroyed by fire two years later.
The new, larger church was designed by local builder Antoine Robillard and Father John Francis Cannon. They wanted a Neo-classical style, which uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. However, in 1844, after the bottom part of the church was finished, a group called the Oblate Fathers took over. Father Pierre-Adrien Telmon came from France to finish the building.
Father Telmon decided to change the design to a Neo-Gothic style. This style was becoming very popular at the time. This is why the lower parts of the church, like the main entrance, look Neo-Classical. But the upper parts, like the towers, look Neo-Gothic.
The main part of the church was finished in 1846. In 1847, it became the main church, or cathedral, for the city of Bytown (which is now Ottawa). Joseph-Bruno Guigues was chosen as the first bishop. You can see a life-sized statue of him on the church grounds.
Later, in 1859, Father Damase Dandurand designed the two tall Gothic spires. These were added to the front of the church in 1866. He also designed the Archbishop's Palace in 1849–50 and added the choir loft in 1862–63. In 1879, Pope Leo XIII gave the cathedral a special title: a minor basilica.
Architect James R. Bowes also helped improve the church in 1875. He designed new galleries inside.
Important Canadian leaders have had their funerals at this cathedral. These include Governor General Georges Vanier and Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
The cathedral was closed for major renovations in 1999. It reopened in December 1999, with work continuing into 2000. This important restoration was made possible by many generous donations.
Architectural Design and Features
The church's tall steeples are covered with tin. This is a common feature for churches in French-Canadian areas. The outside of the building looks quite simple. However, the inside is much more detailed and fancy. The interior was designed by Georges Buillon.
The inside of the church is painted in bright colors. It has many carved details, beautiful stained glass windows, and hundreds of statues of religious figures. Louis-Philippe Hébert created thirty large wooden sculptures in the choir area. At the end of the choir, you can see sculptures of the Holy Family along with John the Baptist and Patrick. These are important saints for French and Irish Catholics.
The Grand Organs
The first organ in the basilica was used for the first time on March 7, 1850. It was built by Joseph Casavant and had 18 stops, meaning it could make 1,063 different sounds using its pipes. The organ's beautiful case was carved by Flavien Rochon in 1871.
Over the years, the organ has been updated and made bigger. In 1892, Casavant's sons completely rebuilt it. It became a huge instrument with 52 stops and more than three keyboards (called manuals) and a pedalboard. This organ used a special electric system to make the pipes play.
The main part of the organ is in the back gallery of the church. There is also a second, smaller organ in a gallery above the altar area. Both organs can be played from the main console in the back gallery. This organ is considered one of the best ever made by the Casavant company.
In 1999, the organ had another big renovation. A new console was installed, and more stops were added to make the sound even better. The organ in the altar area still has its original parts and sound.
A famous composer named Amédée Tremblay was the church's organist from 1894 to 1920. Today, Jennifer Loveless is the main organist.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de Nuestra Señora (Ottawa) para niños
